The Reluctant Fundamentalist Chapter 6

-The conflict in this scene is that Erica isn't ready for it because she is still thinking of Chris which makes her feel almost not ready or upset to move forward in that way with Changez -Erica feels as if she is cheating on Chris if she makes love with Changez -Changez felt like he could not compete with Chris as Erica would not stop talking about him and missing him dearly -Changez and Erica end up talking about Chris and how Erica missed him and how they were together, Erica started to feel more relaxed with Changez

Due to very different views on his people after the Americans almost brainwashed him to believe that his people had something to do with it even though they had no part in this cruel act

Erica goes through an emotional roller coaster when her good friend and lover passes away, she won't let herself move on with her life and try and get over the grieving stage of Chris

Erica's grief for Chris is profound as is Changez's grief for Erica. Erica's grief reflects the larger grief of America after 9/11. It is a country grieving for what it sees as the death of a safer, innocent world before 9/11.

Grief has a strong part in this chapter, while reading it clearly tells you that Erica is grieving Chris most of the time. She fails to make love with Changez because of her strong emotions towards Chris and his death.

when Changez feels like he doesn't belong with Erica he also feels like he doesn't belong in America because Erica as a character represents America as the country

In this chapter the loss of identity has a strong part as a theme. Its clear said in the text that both Erica and Changez are lost in themselves, they don't know if they belong or who they are. In chapter 6 it is explicit when talking about identity with these two main characters as it says in the text that they both are very lost with who they are.

Erica is a representation of America, Changez falls in love with her and during that time he is also falling in love with America. When Eric and change failed to make love I believe that Changez almost felt like he failed America and that's where his loss of identity also came from Erica

Changez represents change, the way this character is changing is very remarkable in this chapter. After failing to make love with Erica I believe that he changes as a person and accepts that the reasons of the failing are acceptable and he understands them. Changez also represents Pakistan, this is where he was born and this is where he stands.

Chris Erica's ex boyfriend represents Christopher columbus whom founded america and because of his finding was able to create a dominant empire Erica feels loyal to Chris because to her he stands as the power of America and if she made love to Changez she would feel like she was betraying America by sleeping with Pakistan